Buckle-tongue fastener



May 4, 1965 H. H. GRur-:TZMACHER 3,181,340

BUCKLE-TONGUE FASTENER Filed May 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z /E ..15 INVENTOR.

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May 4, 1,965 H. H. GRUErzMAcHr-:R 3,181,340

BUCKLE-TONGUE FASTENER Filed May 23, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L# ZZ INVENTOIL United States Patent O 3,181,340 BUCKLE-TONGUE FASTENER Herman H. Gruetzmachcr, 530 E. King, Kingsville, Tex. Filed May 23, 1963, Ser. No. 232,740 1 Claim. (Cl. 72-409) The present invention relates to a fastener apparatus, and more particularly to a belt buckle-tongue fastener. The primary object of this invention being to provide a device by means of which a conventional type buckletongue m-ay be aflixed to a bel-t buckle without damaging or soiling the fabric the belt buckle has been covered with.

Another object of this invention is to provide a buckletongue fastener of the class described whidh may be inexpensiveto manufacture, sturdy, and easy to operate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a buckletongue fastener with a centering groove to locate the buckle-tongue in the belt buckle as desirable.

-An additional object of this invention is to provide a buckle-tongue fastener with a lgripper by means of which the buckle-tongue may be held without damaging or soiling the material the belt buckle .is covered with, also provide means for locating the buckle-tongue centrally the aforesaid fastener.

A further object of this invention is to provide a buckle-tongue fastener apparatus of the class described which may be provided with a rectangular die to hold the belt buckle, and a grooved section for the purpose of centering the buckle-tongue in the belt buckle preliminary to aixing the former to the latter.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction, and the combination and -arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, references will be made to the accompanying drawings, where like character numerals denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view yshowing the type of belt buckle this invention is concerned with;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5a is a modification `of FIG. 1, shown in perspective;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of FIG. 5a;

FIG. 7 is a top elevational view of FIG. 5a;

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of FIG, 5a; andA FIG. 9 is a section taken on the line 9 9 of FIG. 5a.

yIt is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration, and that there might be various modifications thereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein set forth.

`Referring now more particularly to the drawings, is the buckle-tongue fastener, made in accordance with the present invention, best shown in FIG. 1, comprising, in combination, the upper handle 11; the lower handle 12; the pivot 13; the upper jaw 14; and the lower jaw 15.

It can be seen from FIG. 4 that the type of belt buckle the present invention is concerned with, comprises, in combination the rectangular Iwire frame B and the buckletongue T. The former may be provided with a wire bridge C upon which the buckle-tongue T is mounted by means of its booked end H. FIG. 5 shows the relative position of `the hook H in the wire bridge C before the hooked end H has been crimped over (Shown in 3,131,340 Patented May 4, 1965 dotted lines) to secure the latter permanently to the belt buckle B.

In the process of assembly the belt buckle with its tongue may be held between the open upper and lower jaws .14 and 15, respectively, of the fastener 10, with the hooked end H being housed within the lower groove 16 in the lower jaw 15. =In like manner the upper jaw 15 may be provided wit-.h a `clearance groove 17 which is in perfect alignment with the lower groove 16. t

`Reference now being made to the modification 18 shown in FIG. 5a, the latter, comprises, in combination, the upper handle 19; the lower handle 20; the pivot 21; the upper jaw 22; the lower jaw 23; the belt buckle holding die 24; the buckle-tongue locating `and centering groove 25. yIt may be seen that in this ca'se the wire buckle B is mounted directly within the die 24 with its buckle-tongue T Ihoused in the `groove 25; with the latter being in perfect alignment with the groove 25a in the upper jaw 22. In like manner (as already indicated in FIG. 5) the hooked end H of the buckle-tongue T may be hooked vover the wire bridge C, in the belt buckle, preliminary to aflixing the tongue T to the belt buckle B. By operating upon the handles 19 and 20` the tongue T is crimped over the wire bridge C substantially as shown.

While FIGS. 1 to 9, inclusive, show a belt buckletongue fastener manually operated, it is rather obvious that with a few minor modifications the fastener may be adapted to a hand operated, foot operated or power operated press for mass production purposes.

A careful examination of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings, wvil-l enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty, suicient yto clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

'Minor changes in shape, size and materials, and rearrangement o-f parts, may be resorted to in actual practice, as long as no departure is made from the invention claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim is the following:

A buckle-tongue fastener of the class described for mounting a buckle tongue to a belt buckle comprising, in combination, an upper handle, a lower handle, a pivot member upon which said handles are made to hinge, an upper jaw in said lower handle and a lower jaw in said upper handle, a die on said lower jaw for removably mounting thereon said belt buckle, grooved means in each sad jaws to receive the hooked end of a buckle tongue and opening through the free ends of the jaws the grooved means in the upper jaw constituting a clearance groove, said grooved means being adapted to register when said yjaws are closed, said lower and upper jaws being positioned centrally to said die, said die having a flat surface upon which a belt buckle may rest, a portion of said at 'surface and the surface of said upper jaw which is provided with the grooved means being adapted to register when said jaws are closed to aliix said buckle-tongue to said belt buckle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS |397,389 2/89 Richards 81-416 X 1,661,365 3/28 Gendron 8l-5.1 X 1,693,755 l12/28 Hotz.

1,842,678 1/ 32 Kreuzeder.

2,392,118 1/46 Cacarillo 81-416 X 2,704,399 3/55 Melcher 81-416 X 2,814,963 '12/57\ Harrington 81-5.1 2,875,655 3/59 Lako.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Prmmy Examiner. 

